k

5 definitions found

k - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  K \K\, (k[=a]),
     the eleventh letter of the English alphabet, is nonvocal
     consonant. The form and sound of the letter K are from the
     Latin, which used the letter but little except in the early
     period of the language. It came into the Latin from the
     Greek, which received it from a Ph[oe]nician source, the
     ultimate origin probably being Egyptian. Etymologically K is
     most nearly related to c, g, h (which see).
  
     Note: In many words of one syllable k is used after c, as in
           crack, check, deck, being necessary to exhibit a
           correct pronunciation in the derivatives, cracked,
           checked, decked, cracking; since without it, c, before
           the vowels e and i, would be sounded like s. Formerly,
           k was added to c in certain words of Latin origin, as
           in musick, publick, republick; but now it is omitted.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: See Guide to Pronunciation, [sect][sect] 240, 178, 179,
           185.
           [1913 Webster]

  Mute \Mute\, n.
     1. One who does not speak, whether from physical inability,
        unwillingness, or other cause. Specifically:
        (a) One who, from deafness, either congenital or from
            early life, is unable to use articulate language; a
            deaf-mute.
        (b) A person employed by undertakers at a funeral.
        (c) A person whose part in a play does not require him to
            speak.
        (d) Among the Turks, an officer or attendant who is
            selected for his place because he can not speak.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Phon.) A letter which represents no sound; a silent
        letter; also, a close articulation; an element of speech
        formed by a position of the mouth organs which stops the
        passage of the breath; as, p, b, d, k, t.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Mus.) A little utensil made of brass, ivory, or other
        material, so formed that it can be fixed in an erect
        position on the bridge of a violin, or similar instrument,
        in order to deaden or soften the tone.
        [1913 Webster]

k - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  k
      adj 1: denoting a quantity consisting of 1,000 items or units
             [syn: thousand, one thousand, 1000, m, k]
      n 1: the basic unit of thermodynamic temperature adopted under
           the Systeme International d'Unites [syn: kelvin, K]
      2: a light soft silver-white metallic element of the alkali
         metal group; oxidizes rapidly in air and reacts violently
         with water; is abundant in nature in combined forms occurring
         in sea water and in carnallite and kainite and sylvite [syn:
         potassium, K, atomic number 19]
      3: the cardinal number that is the product of 10 and 100 [syn:
         thousand, one thousand, 1000, M, K, chiliad, G,
         grand, thou, yard]
      4: a unit of information equal to 1000 bytes [syn: kilobyte,
         K, KB, kB]
      5: a unit of information equal to 1024 bytes [syn: kilobyte,
         kibibyte, K, KB, kB, KiB]
      6: the 11th letter of the Roman alphabet [syn: K, k]
      7: street names for ketamine [syn: K, jet, super acid,
         special K, honey oil, green, cat valium, super C]

k - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  K
  
     <unit> kilo-, a kilobyte.  Used both as a spoken word and
     a written suffix, like meg and gig for megabyte and
     gigabyte.
  
     See prefix.
  
     [Jargon File]
  
     (1995-09-29)
  

k - Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003) :

  K
   /K/, n.
  
     [from kilo-] A kilobyte. Used both as a spoken word and a written
     suffix (like meg and gig for megabyte and gigabyte). See
     quantifiers.